Clutch



Jan. 24, 1939.

E. E. WEMP CLUTCH 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Original Filed March 19,1931

5 R m 5% MW i fig 1E. A a -w m JW N M mmm m fill -H h w l. M m i Q. m Q]m m k a w w R & JQ\ N v INVENTOR. Ernest E. LQQm'P flaw/- ,1 MZWATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY I t m E E WEMP CLUTCH Original Filed March19, 1951 Jan. 24, 1939.

Reicaued Jan. 24, 1939 Original No. 2,059,158, dated October 2'1, 1936,

Serial No. 523,871, March 19, 1931. Applicatlon for reissue September20, 1939, Serial No.

37 Claims. ((71- 192r-107) This invention relates to a clutch and it hasto do particularly with the construction of a clutch driven member.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a driven clutchmember capable of eflicient operation, yet one having a relatively lowinertia and one in which a material saving of stock may be effected inits manufacture.

Other objects will become apparent as the description progresses.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial Number485,678, flied October 1, 1930.

Fig. l is a plan view of a driven clutch member with part of the clutchfacing material removed to illustrate the construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-4 of Fig. 1,also showing driving clutch parts.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view taken through part of the diskillustrating the same in clutch engaging position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form.

Fig. 5 shows the construction of Fig. 4, in clutch engaged position.

Fig. 6 is a view showing in side elevation one side of a modified formof clutch construction.

Fig. 7 is a view of the opposite side of the form shown in Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views of further modified forms.

Figs. 10 and 11 are side elevational views of parts of the driven disksconstructed as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The driven member of a clutch asshown herein, is one designed to bepacked in between driving members and itcomprises a huh I which may besecured to a driven shaft (not shown) by the usual spline connection.This hub is provided with a flange 2. The major portion of the drivenmember preferably comprises separate metal pieces attached to theflange. These take the form of radially extending spoke-like members 3.The inner ends are cut or beveled off, as at 4, so that a multiplicityof the spokes maybe nested after the manner shown in Fig. 1. Thesemembers preferably are arranged in pairs, one of each pair beingdisposed on opposite sides of the flange 2, and both may be secured tothe flange by rivets 5.

These spoke members are of steel and are preferably straight, and thesteel stock is such as to give to the spokes the requisite degree ofspringiness. Facing material 6 is carried at the outer periphery of thedriven member, there being facing material on each side of the drivenmember, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The facing material is secured to thedisk preferably by means of rivets 1 taken through both sections of thefacing material and through aligned apertunes 8 in the spoke members.applied with suflicient tightness to draw the opposite spoke memberstogether so that they make .substantial contact at their outermostedges, as

shown in Fig. 2. This results in spacing the inner peripheral edges ofthefacing material away from each other so that when the driving members9 and I9 ofthe clutch are pressed toward each other to pack the drivenmember between them, the first contact is made at the inner peripheraledge, substantially, as at H. As the The rivets 1 are driven membersmove .toward each other the spokes are flexed after the mannerillustrated in Fig. 3, and in flnal clutch engaged positionsubstantially the entire area of clutch facing mate-- rial contacts withthe driving members. This construction gives a nicety of clutch actionby reason of a gradual increase of engaging area from the time clutchengagement starts until the clutch is completely engaged. The spokemembers 3 being normally spaced apart are placed somewhat under tensionwhen the rivet I is secured to fasten the facings thereto.

A modified form of spoke is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Here each spokeinstead of being norspokes converge from the flange 2 substantially topoint it, then I slightly diverge or extend spaced relative to eachother from point ii to about point i6 where they meet'as at 11. Thisconstruction also spaces the inner peripheral edges of the facingmaterial and when the driving members pacimthe driven member betweenthem the spokes are flexed; the first point of contact between thespokes is substantially at the point IS, the space between points l5 andI6 still remaining slightly open, and on continued movement of themembers 9 and I9 toward each other the leg portions of the spokesbetween the points l5 and [6 are substantially straightened out untilthey appear substantially as shown in Fig. 5 in full clutch engagedposition.

Instead of making the spoke members out of separate pieces a clutchdriven part can be made a single member, as illustrated at l1 (Fig. '1),wherein the spokes are integral with the central pbrtion. A member suchas this may be stamped out from a single blank of metal. The drivenmember of a clutch may be made up of two of such one-piece members withtheir hub'portions secured to opposite sides of the hub flange, or ifdesired, the member may be made up of a combination of thesearrangements wherein one side, as shown in Fig. 6, comprises theseparate spokes, and the other side comprises the'integral spoke membersstamped from a single sheet of metal.

There is a substantially negligible waste of metal in a clutch memberconstructed with these separate spoke portions. The spokes may be madefrom strip stock and the only waste comes about by reason of theopenings provided for the rivets and the cutting off of the inner endswhere they nest together. This represents a material saving of stockover the practice of stamping disk members from sheet steel stock, foreven where a round disk is stamped from a square blank there is a largewaste of metal, to say nothing of the waste due to the forming of spokesand cut- ,ting out the center, etc.. Moreover, the circumferentialspacing between the spokes is preferably not. great, and in fact thespace between the spokes at about the position of the inner edge of thefacing material is such as .to substantially effect a continuousunderlying support for the facing material at this point. In otherwords, the spacing is such that the facing material readily bridges thesame with substantially no tendency to collapse between spokes.

Moreover, the inertia of the driven member is reduced because there isno mass of weight near the peripheral edge of the driven member. This istrue of a construction where the spokes and center portion are integral,and made from a single blank, although this form does not effect asaving of material. It is feasible that the flexing action of the spokesin clutch engagement and disengagement may be varied; this may be doneby effecting variation in the thickness of stock of which the spokes aremade, or by varying the width of the hub flange, or both.

The modified forms shown in Figs. 8 and 9 are similar, the one shown inFig. 8 having a spoked one-piece disk 20 secured to the hub flange, andseparate spoke members 2i are secured to the disk by rivets, as shown,and spaced therefrom by filler or spacer element 22. This spaces thedisk spokes and separate spokes, and they may be drawn together at theirouter edges by the rivets holding the clutch facing material. In Fig. 9instead of using the filler or spacer element the spokes 23 are offset,as at 24.

This construction in a clutch driven member afiords provision forobtaining differential effective packing pressures across the contactingfaces of driving and driven members which may be calculated to producesubstantially uniform torque capacity across the contacting faces. Toexemplify this the following formula may be given:

In this formula '1 is used as representativeof torque capacity, P-thepressure, R. the radius, N the number of disks, and F the coefficient offriction.

A clutch may employ one or a plurality of driven disks, but this is aknown constant; also with a given type of facing material thecoefficient of friction is constant. It follows that for exemplificationpurposes N and F may bedisregarded; accordingly, disregarding theconstants theformula -T=P R- may be used.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3.it. will be noted that the referencecharacter A is applied to the inner eripheral edge of the facingmaterial and Btotheouterperipheraledge. TheradiusatA beingshorterthsntheradius atBit follows that a greater pressure is required at A than at Bin order that the torque capacity he the same or substantially the same.The construction lends itself to the provision of greater pressure at Athan at B with aprogressive decrease in pressure from A to B in suchwise that the torque capacity across the facing may be substantiallyuniform. A substantially ideal condition may exist wherein thedifferential pressure varies as regards the radius so that on any aretaken around the center of the disk and within the points A and B, PR=substantially a uniform T, or torque capacity.

Of course the torque capacity of a given clutch may vary' as desired,the principal variation coming about by reason of weight and size of thevehicle, or in other words, the amount of power to be transmitted andthe size or power of the engine. One specific example may be given asfollows: Assume that at point B a pressure of 720 pounds at that radiusgives the desired torque capacity. Assume that at point A on a shorterradius a pressure of 1200 pounds is required to give the same torquecapacity. or substantially the same: there is accordingly a difierentiaiof 480 pounds. The disk as shown in the drawings,

- especially Fig, 1. shows twelve spokes; thus the 480 poundsdifferential is carried by the twelve spokes which means that each spokeshould carry or provide 40 pounds additional pressure at point A.

The various elements which enter into the clutch construction may becalculated to produce these results and the length of the spokes.. thematerial of which they are made, the thickness and width of the stockmay all be calculated so that a force of 40 pounds is required to holdthe spokes distorted in full clutch engagement such as shown in Fig. 3.The same calculation can be made as regards the forms of the inventionshown in Figs. 4, 5, 8 and 9 and also with a disk having integral spokessuch as shown in Fig. 7.

It is to be noted that the spokes are what may be termed in the natureof beams in that they are supported on opposite sides of the stress orstrain placed upon them by clutch engagement. In other words, the spokesare supported at their outer and inner ends; the stress or strain uponthe spokes at the point B is zero or substantially zero because at thispoint there is only a compression action, while at their inner partsthey are effectively spaced apart so that a bending action takes placebetween these two points.

Accordingly, with this type of support the spokes may be made of stocksufliciently light so as to provide a driven disk of adequately lowpolar inertia. To clarify this point it may be pointed out that if thespokes were supported cantilever fashion they would have to be of stocksufficiently thick'to resist the packing pressure and furnish thedesired torque capacity. This would increase the polar inertia. With thepresent case there is no strain on the spokes at point B and while 1200pounds packing pressure in the example given may be applied at point A,yet the spokes do not provide for this 1200 pounds pressure but merelyafford the differential of 480 pounds which in a twelve spoke disk is40'pounds per spoke which can be provided with relatively thin stock. Insome of the claims appended hereto it is said that the driven membercomprises spokes, or language to this equivalent, and this is intendedto cover both a member made up of separate spokes and a member havingintegral spokes.

I claim:

1. A clutch driven member comprising two sets of spokes spaced axiallyand arranged in pairs, facing material near the outer ends of the spokesand over the outer sides of each set of spokes, and means passingthrough the facing material and the pairs of spokes for holding thefacing material in place and drawing the spokes together near theirouter edges.

2. A clutch driven member comprising a hub with a flange, a set ofnormally straight spokes secured to one side of the flange, another setof normally straight spokes secured to the other side of the flange,facing material overlying the outer sides of both sets of spokes, andrivets passing therethrough for drawing the spaced spokes together andholding the facing material in place.

3. A clutch driven member comprising a. hub with a flange, a set ofnormally straight spokes secured to one side of the flange, another setof normally straight spokes secured to the other side of the flange, thespokes of the sets being arranged in pairs, two pieces oi facingmaterial near the outer periphery on the outside of the spokes, and arivet passing through the facing material and each pair of spokes forholding the facing material in place and drawing the spokes together.

4. A driven member for a clutch comprising a hub with a flange, aplurality of strip metal spokes having their inner ends nested upon oneside of the flange and secured thereto, a plurality of strip metalspokes having their inner ends nested on the other side of the flangeand secured thereto, two pieces of facing material near the outer endsof the spokes with the spokes between the facing material, and rivetspassing through the facing material and spokes and holding the outerends of the spokes substantially in a common plane.

5. A driven member for a clutch comprising a hub with a flange, aplurality of strip metal spokes having their inner ends nested upon oneside of the flange and secured thereto, a plurality of 1 strip metalspokes having their inner ends nested on the other side of the flangeand secured thereto, two pieces of facing material near the outer endsof the spokes with the spokes between the facing material, and rivetspassing through the facing material and spokes, said spokes beingnormally straight and spaced apart, and said rivets serving to drawtheir outer ends together.

6. A clutch driven member comprising a hub with a flange, a plurality ofstrip metal spokes having their inner ends nested on one side of theflange and secured thereto, a one-piece disk member having int egralradially extending spokes and a central portion secured to the otherside of the hub flange, facing material over each set of spokes neartheir outer ends, and rivets passing through the spokes and facingmaterial.

7. A clutch driven member comprising a hub with a flange, a plurality'of strip metal spokes having their inner ends nested on one side of theflange and secured thereto, a one-piece disk member having integralradially extending spokes and a central portion secured to the otherside of the hub flange, facing material over each set of spokes neartheir outer ends, and rivets passing through the spokes and facingmaterial, the plurality of spokes and spokes on the disk being arrangedin axially aligned pairs, and each of said rivets passing througha pairof spokes.

8. A clutch driven member comprising a hub with a flange, a pluralityofstrip metal spokes having their inner ends nested on one side of theflange and secured thereto, a one-piece disk member having integralradially extending spokes and a central portion secured to the otherside of the hub flange, facing material over each set of spokes neartheir outer ends, and rivets passing through the spokes and facingmaterial, the plurality of spokes and spokes on the disk being arrangedin axially aligned pairs and spaced apart, and each of said rivetspassing through a pair of spokes serving to draw them together at theirouter ends.

9. A clutch driven member comprising a hub and a flange, a plurality ofradially extendin spokes secured to opposite sides of the flange andarranged in axially spaced pairs, said spokes being shaped so that thetwo spokes of a pair converge away from the flange, then extend inspaced relation and substantially abut near their ends, facing materialon opposite outside faces of the spokes, rivets passing through thefacing material and spokes, said spokes being adapted to be flexedtoward each other as the facing material is packed between clutchdriving members.

10. A clutch driven member comprising a hub, spoke members projectingtherefrom arranged in axially aligned pairs and normally spaced apart,facing material on each side of the spoke members, and means passingthrough the facing material and spoke members for holding the facingmaterial thereto and drawing the spoke members substantially together attheir outer ends.

11. A clutch driven member comprising a hub, spoke members projectingoutwardly therefrom arranged in axially spaced radially aligned pairs,said spoke members being normally spaced apart for a distance andsubstantially contacting at their outer ends, and means for securingclutch facing material on each side of the spoke members.

12. A clutch driven member comprising a hub with a flange, a one-piecedisk member having integral radially extending spokes and the centralportion secured to said flange, separate strip metal spokes held inpaired relation to the spokes on the disk and normally spaced therefrom,facing material over the spokes on the disk andseparate spokes, andmeansholding the facing material in. place and holding the separatedpaired spokes substantially together at their outer ends.

13. A clutch driven member comprising a hub with a flange, a disk havinga central portion secured to the flange and integral spokes, a pluralityof separate spoke members each secured to the disk near the centralportion and being paired with the spokes on the disk and normally spacedtherefrom, two pieces of facing material separated by the paired spokes,and means securing the facing material. to the spokes and holding thepaired spokes substantially in contact at their outer endsr 14. A clutchmember comprising a plurality of radially extending spokes, some ofwhich are axially spaced apart, facing material onopposite sides of thespokes held spaced apart by said axially spaced spokes and adapted to bepacked between other clutch members, means for holding the ends of thespokes substantially in a common plane whereby the spokes converge outwardly, said axially spaced spokes being flexed tion of the spokes beingcalculated to produce such varying pressures as to give substantiallyequal torque capacity across the facings.

15. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between clutch drivingmembers, comprising a hub having a flange, radially extending spokes onopposite sides of the flange, two facing elements carried by the outerends of the spokes and on opposite sides thereof, means securing thefacings to the spokes and also serving to hold the outer extremities ofthe spokes in close proximity whereby the spokes diverge'toward theflange, said diverging spokes holding the facings spaced apart at theinner parts of the facing, said spokes being adapted to be flexed towardeach other under packing pressure.

16. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between clutch drivingmembers comprising, a hub having a flange, radially extending spokes onopposite sides of the flange, two facing elements carried by the outerends of the spokes and on opposite sides thereof, means securing thefacings to the spokes and also serving to hold the outer extremities ofthe spokes in close proximity whereby the spokes diverge toward theflange, said diverging spokes holding the facings spaced apart at theinner parts of the facing, said spokes being adapted to be flexed towardeach other under packing pressure, the flexure of the spokes beingcalculated to produce unequal pres sure across the surface of thefacings with the pressure progressively diminishing from the inner tothe outer facing boundaries such that the torque capacity atsubstantially any point between the inner and outer boundaries issubstantially constant.

17. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between clutch drivingmembers comsets of spokes being axially spaced apart near the center ofthe disk and extending radially outward in converging relation withtheir ends lying approximately in a common plane, two rings of facingmaterial one attached to each side of the by the spaced spokes, meansfor holding the ends of the spokes in said common plane, said spokesbeing flexed toward each other when the driven member is packed betweendriving members, the said spokes being calculated as to flexure toproduce progressively diminishing packing pressure from the inner edgeof the facings to the outer edge whereby the decreasing pressurecorresponds to the increasing radius so that substantially a uniformtorque capacity is maintained across the clutch facings.

18. A; clutch driven member adapted to be packed between clutch drivingmemberscomprisfree ends, the sets of spokes being axially spaced apartnear the center of the disk and extending radially outward in convergingrelation with their ends lying approximately in a common plane, tworings of facing material one attached to each side of the spokes andheld spaced apart at their inner edges by the spaced spokes, means forholding the ends of the spokes in said common plane, said spokes beingflexed toward each other when the driven member is packed betweendriving members, the said spokes being calculated as to flexure toproduce progressively diminishing packing pressure from the inner edgeof the facings to the. outer edge whereby the decreasing pressurecorresponds to the increasing radius so that substantially a uniformtorque capacity is maintained across the clutch facings.

prising a disk formed of two sets "of spokes, the

spokes and held spaced apart at their inner edges ing a disk formed oftwo sets of spokes having some 19. A clutch driven member adapted to bepacked between driving members comprising spokesdlverging from theirouter ends toward the center of the member to axially spaced relation,means for holding the outer ends of the spokes substantially in a commonplane, a ring of facing material on each side of the spokessubstantially immovable toward each other at the extreme edge of thespokes and movable toward each other by spoke flexure at the inner edgeof the facing rings, the flexure of the spokes being calculated toproduce unequal pressure across the clutch facing whereby at any pointwithin the inner and outer boundaries of the clutch facings the packingpressure times the radius equals sub-.

stantially the same torque capacity.

20. A driven clutch member adapted to be packed between driving clutchmembers comprising spokes diverging from the outer ends toward thecenter of the driven member, a ring of clutch facing material onopposite sides of the spokes, means securing the facing rings and theouter ends of the spokes together, said spokes one side of the flangewith the spokes extending radially outwardly and having free ends, spokemeans attached to the other side of the flange with the spokes extendingradially outward and having free ends, a ring of fadng material onQDDosite sides of the spokes near their outer free ends, meansconnecting the rings of facing material for holding the free ends of thespokes in close proximity with the spokes diverging substantially fromtheir outer ends to the flange and serving to hold the inner edges ofthe facing rings normally spaced apart, said spokes flexing toward eachother under pacldng pressure whereby an eifective packing pressure atthe inner edges of the facing is greater than the effective packingpressure at the outer edges with the differential effected by the forcerequired to'flex said spokes, said spokes being calculated as to flexureso that packing pressure of the small radius at the inner edges of thefacings and the packing pressure at the long radius at the outer edgesof the facings produces substantially equal torque capacity.

22. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between clutch drivingmembers comprising a hub with a flange, spoke means secured to one sideof the flange with the spokes extending radially outwardly and havingfree ends,

spoke means attached to the other side of the facings and pairs ofspokes for holding the free ends of the spokes in close proximity withthe spokes diverging substantially from their outer ends tothe flangeand serving to hold the inner edges of the facing rings normally spacedapart,

said spokes flexing toward each other under 15 packing pressure wherebyan effective packing pressure at the inner edges of the facing isgreater than the effective packing pressure at the outer edges with thedifferential effected by the force required to flex said spokes, saidspokes being calculated as to flexure so that the packing pressure onthe small radius at the inner edges of the facings and the packingpressure on the long radius at the outer edges of the facings producessubstantially equal torque capacity.

23. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between clutch drivingmembers, comprising radial spokes spaced axially near the center of themember and converging toward their outer extremities, facing material onopposite sides of the spokes held spaced apart at the inner peripheraledges of the facing material by said spokes, means securing the facingmaterial and the outer parts of the spokes together, said spokes beingflexed toward each other under packing pressure to produce greatereffective packing pressure at the inner edges of the facings than at theouter edges, the flexure of the spokes being calculated so that theeffective packing pressure at the inner peripheral edges of the facingmaterial produces a torque capacity substantially the same as the torquecapacity produced at the outer peripheral edges of the facing materialby the lesser packing pressure.

24. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between driving memberscomprising a disk like member having parts extending in divergingrelation substantially from the peripheral edge toward the center,facing material over opposite sides of said member held spaced apart bythe diverging parts, means securing the facing material and the outerportions of the disk like member together, said parts being flexedtoward each other when the driven member is packed between drivingmembers, and said parts being calculated as to flexure so as to producedifferential effective packing pressures across the faces of the saidfacing material which vary in substantially uniform manner as regardsthe varying radii, whereby the torque capacity across the facingmaterial is substantiallyuniform.

25. A clutch driven member adapted to be packed between driving members,comprising a hub, a flange on the hub, parts secured to the hub and onopposite sides of the flange extending from the flange substantially tothe outer periphery of the member in converging relation, means holdingthe outer portions of said parts substantially in a commonyplane, tworings of facing material near the outer periphery of the the member, oneon each side of the member and held spaced apart by said convergingparts at their inner peripheral edge, said converging parts being flexedtoward each other when the driven member is packed between drivingmembers, and said converging parts being calculated as to flexure toproduce varying effective packing pressures across the faces of therings with the greater pressure at the inner peripheral edge and thelesser pressure at the outer peripheral edge with the pressuresprogressively decreasing from inner to outer edges substantially inaccordance with the increasing radii whereby the torque capacity acrossthe rings of facing material is substantially uniform. 26. Thecombination in a clutch, of driving members, a driven member adapted tobe packed between the driving members, said driven member comprising adisk like body having spokes extending in diverging relationsubstantially from the peripheral edge toward the center, means forholding the outer ends of the spokes substantially in a common plane, aring of fac-. ing material on each side of the driven member 5 near itsouter periphery with said rings being held spaced apart at their innerperipheral edges by said diverging spokes, said diverging spokes beingflexed toward each other when the driven member is packed between thedriving members and being calculated as to flexure whereby to produceprogressively diminishing. effective packing pressures across the ringsof facing material from their inner peripheral edge to their outerperipheral edge with the said pressures varying in accordance with theincreasing radii to effect substantially uniform torque capacity acrossthe rings of facing material.

27. A clutch driven disk comprising a disk body having spoke likemembers extending from near the center of the disk to the outerperipheral edge thereof, some of said spoke like members having theirbase portions which are located relatively near the center of the diskdisposed axially removed to one side of the normal plane of the disk,some of said spoke like members having their base portions disposedaxially removed to the opposite side of the normal plane of thediskwhereby the base portions of said spoke like members are axially spacedapart, a ring of clutch facing material disposed over the outside facesof said spoke like members near their outer periphery, and securingmeans connecting the rings of facing material and serving to hold theouter ends of said spoke like members substantially in the normal planeof the disk whereby said spoke like members diverge from their outerends toward the center of the disk to maintain the inner peripheraledges of the rings of facing material normally spaced apart.

28. A clutch driven disk comprising a disk body having spoke likemembers extending from near the center of the disk to the outerperipheral edge thereof, some,of said spoke like members having theirbase portions which are located relatively near thecenter of the diskdisposed axially removed to one side of the normal plane of the disk,some of said spoke like members having their base portions disposedaxially removed to the opposite side of the normal plane of the diskwhereby the base portions of said spoke like members are axially spacedapart, a ring of clutch facing: material disposed over the outside facesof said spoke like members neartheir outer periphery, and securing meansconnecting the rings of facing material and serving to hold the outerends of said spoke like members substantially in the normal plane of thedisk whereby said spoke like members diverge from their outer endstoward the center of the disk to maintain. the inner peripheral edges ofthe rings of facing' material normally spaced apart, the extreme outerends of the spoke like members serving to substantially rigidly spacethe outer peripheral edges of the rings of facing material apart, andsaid diverging spoke like members being adapted to flex toward eachother under packing pressure.

29. A clutch driven disk comprising a hub having a flange, spokessecured to one side of the flange, spokes secured to the other side ofthe flange, said spokes extending substantially V radially outwardly inaxially spaced relation, '5

the ring of facing material over the outside faces of the two sets ofspokes near their outer edges, means connecting the rings of facingmaterial serving to secure said rings to the spokes with the spokesdisposed between the rings of facing material, said securing meansholding. the rings of facing material substantially together with thespoke ends disposed between posed in planes converging toward the outerends of the fingers, and friction facings secured on theouter zones ofsaid fingers.

31. In a friction disc having a rigid hub portion and a pair of annularclutch facings at its outer zones, means for resiliently supporting saidfacings and maintaining them normally at an angle to each other,comprising laterally spaced sets of radiating spring arms fastened tothe hub and each set engaging the inner surface of one of the clutchfacings, and circumferentially spaced fastening members securing theclutch facings to the spring arms, said fastening members being arrangedadjacent the outer peripheries of the clutch facings and holding theclutch facings and spring arms together in nonspaced relation at theouter periphery of the facings.

32. In a disc-type clutch member having a rigid hub portion, a pairof'annular clutch faci-ngs at its periphe an intermediate support forthe clutch facings including laterally spaced resilient arms engagingthe inner surfaces of the clutch facings, and a series ofcircumferentially spaced fastening members passing through certain ofthe spring arms and both clutch facings adjacent their outerperipheries, and which draw the outer peripheral portions of the clutchfacings toward each other, said resilient arms normally pressing theinner peripheral portions of the clutch facings away from each other.

33. The combination with pressure members, of a friction disc, aplurality of resilient arms on the disc in spaced planes, a frictionfacing on each side of the arms,- a, plurality of fastening elements forsecuring the facings to the resilient arms and to bend the saidresilient arms toward each other so as to bring thefacings closer toeach other at one periphery, and hold them resiliently "spaced at theother peripheries thereof, until engaged by said pressure member.

34. A clutch driven member comprising, a hub, a disc member, meansconnecting the inner portion of the disc member to the hub, a pair ofannular friction facing members arranged to be packed between rotatableclutch driving members, a plurality of structurally separate springmetal cushion members arranged in an annular array and having partslying between the facings, the metal of the cushion members being Ipreformed in the direction of theirthickness and in the same directionrelative to the disc to provide portions in each cushion member whichare "a disc member,

relatively and yieldably spaced axially for relative axial yieldabilityof the facings, and means for connecting each cushion member to the discin a zone of the driven member which is.removed radially from thefacings and which lies outwardly of the connecting means for the discand the hub.

35. A clutch'driven member comprising, a hub,

means connecting the inner portion, of the disc member to the hub, apair of annular friction facing members arranged to be packed betweenrotatable clutch driving members, a plurality of structurally separatespring metal cushion members arranged 'in an annular array, the metal ofeach cushion member being pre-formed in the direction of its thicknessto provide portions in each cushion member which are relatively andyieldably spaced axially, each cushion member having a part which liesbetween the faclngs and a spoke-like, part which is spacedclrcumferentially from the spoke-like partof adjacent cushion membersand which extends radially inwardly of the periphery of the facings, thepre-formed structure of the cushion members serving to hold the faclngsfor relative axial yieldability, means for securing the facings to thecushion members, and means for securing the inwardly projecting portionsof the cushion members to the disc.

36. A clutch driven member comprising, a hub, a disc member, meansconnecting the disc member to the hub, a pair of annular friction facingmembers arranged to be packed between rotatable clutch driving members,a plurality of structurally separate spring metal cushion membersarranged in an annular array and having parts I lying between thefacings, each cushion member having a bend line therein and extendingacross the cushion member from one edge thereof to an opposite edgethereof whereby the cushion members are pre-formed in the direction oftheir thickness to provide portions in each cushion member which arerelatively and yieldably spaced axialLv for relative axial yieldabilityof the facings, and means for connecting each cushion member to the discmember in that zone of the driven member which lies between theconnecting means for the disc and hub and the inner periphery of thefaclngs.

3'7. A clutch driven member comprising, a hub, a disc member ofrelatively thin metal providing a relatively light weight construction,means connecting the disc member to the hub with the disc memberextending radially outwardly from the hub, a pair of annular frictionfacing members arranged to be packed between rotatable clutch drivingmembers, a plurality of structurally separate spring metal cushionmembers arranged in an annular array, and having parts lying between thefaclngs, the metal of each cushion member being pre-formed in thedirection of its thickness to provide portions of each cushion memberwhich are relatively and yieldably spaced axially for relative axialyieldability of the facings, and means connecting each cushion. memberto the disc member.

minimum.

